Weft detecting mechanism for multicolor shuttle changing looms



v Sept. 15, 1936. R ER- 2,054,176

WEFT DETECTING MECHANISM FOR MULTI COLOR SHUTTLE CHANGING LOOMS Original Filed Apfi l 26,- 1934 '8 Sheets-Sheet 1 Q Sept. 15,1936. R. G. TURNER 2,054,176

WEFT DETECTING MECHANISM FOR MULTICOLOR SHUTTLE CHANGING LOOMS Original F iled April 26, 1934 s Sheets-Sheet I2 Sept. 15, 1936- R. G. TURNER WEFT DETECTING MECHANISM FOR MULTIC OLOR SHUTTLE CHANGING LOOMS O riginal Filed A ril 2e,'19s4 8 Sheets-Shet a Sept. 15, 1936. R TURNER 2,054,176

WEFT DETECTING MEGHANISMFOR MULTICOLOR SHUTTLE CHANGING LOOMS I Origin a1 Filed April 26, 1934 8Sheets-Sheef 4 P 1936- R. G. TURNER WEFT DETECTING MECHANISM FOR MULTICOLOR SHUTTLE CHANGING LOOMS Original Filed April 26; 1934 Sept. 15, 1936. R. G. TURNER WEFT DETECTING MECHANISM FOR MULTICOLOR SHUTTLE CHANGING LOOMS 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 Original Filed'Apfil 26, 19:54

JZmvz/an- Sept. 15, 1936. R. e. TURNER 1 3 6 WEFTDETECTING MECHANISM FOR MULTICOLOR SHUTTLE CHANGING LOOMS Original Filed April 26, 1934 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 P 3 R. G. TURNER 2,054,176

WEFT DETECTING MECHANISM FOR MULTICOLOR SHUTTLE CHANGING LOOMS v 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 Original Filed April 26, 1954 Patented Sept. 15, 1936 UNITED STATES 2,054,176 PATENT OFFICE WEFT DETECTING.MECHANISM FOR MUL- TICOLOR SHUTTLE CHANGING LOOIYIS Richard G. Turner, Worcester, Mass, assignor to Crompton & Knowles Loom Works, Worcester, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts A Application April 26, 1934, Serial No. 722,549

, Renewed April 2, 1936 11 Claims.

This invention relates to weft detecting and loom control mechanism adapted more particularly to multicolor shuttle changing looms.

In copending application Serial No. 593,814 there is set forth an electrical weft detecting mechanism having one feeler over the drop boxes to coact with the top shuttle and another feeler under the drop boxes to coact with the bottom shuttle, both of the feelers being fixed to the lay and their ability to detect weft exhaustion being dependent upon movement of the boxes. In that application a mechanically moving actuator having a regular movement every other beat of the loom is employed, and operates in such a way that the detector mechanism is limited to the weaving of fabrics having two picks of one color alternated with two picks of another color. The detectors are placed so that they contact with the inactive shuttle and are always out of contact with the active shuttle.

It is desirable to be able to employ the de tecting mechanism shown in the aforesaid application for the weaving of fabrics having cross stripes with more than two picks of the same color.

It is an important object of my present invention .to interpose a control between this type of detector mechanism and the magazine, operative to delay the indication to the magazine until the inactive exhausted shuttle is about to return to action; regardless of the width of the stripe woven by the active shuttle.

With my improvements the running shuttle will not berdetected while active and provision should be made to prevent it from becoming exhausted while active. It is a further object of my invention to operate according to a method which will provide a brunch in each shuttle suinciently large to weave a complete stripe during any one period of action, plus the reserve added for safety consideration. Assuming, as an example, that the minimum reserve without regard to the length of the repeat will be three picks and that the cloth woven has six picks of one color followed by six picks of another color, each bobbin will carry a bunch sufficient for nine picks. With a reserve of this size 'a shuttle which is returned to action may have its normal supply exhausted during the first part of the first pick if it is active, but enough reserve yarn will remain to permit the shuttle to complete its repeat and then move out of action, when it will immediately give indication of exhaustion, after which upon being returned to action a second time one pick corresponding to the single flight from the drop box end to the magazine end will be drawn from the reserve of three picks.

The so-called Knowles head for actuating the harnesses from the shuttle boxes includes in its 69 construction a chain having high and low balls which pass under vibrator levers. given a continuous motion as the result of which the vibrators are likely to shake slightly when passingfrom one ball to another. Since one of the switches in the circuit to be described hereinafter, and also the color selector for the mag-a zine, are both actuated directly from the vibrator, it is desirable to prevent thisshaking of the lever as the chain moves. It is accordingly a further object of my invention to provide means to accomplish this result, to the end that a Knowles head can be used in connection with a multicolor shuttle changing loom without danger of losing an indication at the switch or giving a misindication at the color selector. Two different means for accomplishing this result are illustrated herein, namely, a lever and cam arrangement, and a special pattern chain link.

The foregoing results are accomplished by causing the pattern mechanism to cooperate with the detector, and such a control results in closing the circuit through a detector contacting with a bare bobbin during a short time only, prior to a box shift, thus saving current and also avoiding burning of the contact points and bobbin.

With these and other objects in View which will appear as the description proceeds, my invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings wherein a convenient embodiment of my invention is set forth,

Fig. l, is a front elevation of a loom made according to my present invention and having over and under feelers together with a Knowles head,

Figs. 2 and 3 are side elevations on an enlarged scale, looking in the direction of arrows 2 .and v3, respectively, irfFig. 1,

Fig. 4 is a front elevation on an enlarged scale of the weft detector and shuttle box mechanism shown at the left of Fig. 1,

Fig. 5 is a perspective diagrammatic View of the operating parts of the mechanism, showing the circuits,

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detailed side elevation of the structure shown at the lower part of Fig. 2,

Figs, 7 and. 8 are diagrammatic views showing two types of fabrics which can be woven with my invention,

Fig. 7a is a diagrammatic view indicating a chain to be used in weaving the fabric shown in Fig. 7,

Fig. 8a isla similar view indicating a chain to be used in weaving the fabric shown in Fig. 8,

Fig. .9 is a rear elevation of the upper left hand part of Fig. 1, showing a pattern chain corresponding to Fig. 7a,

Fig. 10 is .a detailed plan view of the lever which This chain is I is actuated by the vibrator for the boxes, looking in the direction of arrow 16, Fig. 9,

Fig. 11 is a detail plan on an enlarged scale of 'parts shown in the lower part of Fig. 3, and look.-.,

' actuator lever 42 is normally cleared by the latch in the direction of arrow I I, in Fig. 3,

' Fig. 12 is" a diagrammatic view showing the relation of the detectors to two bobbins which are depleted except for their reserve bunches,

Fig. 13 is a detail vertical section on the: line 1 l3--'l3 in Fig. 3, and

Fig. 14 is a diagrammatic view similar to a portion of Fig. 1 but showing a dobby to control the box motion. Referring to Fig. 1 of frame 26 supports at the upper left'hand end thereof a Knowles head motion K and has a lay L 7 at the left hand end of which is mounted the shifting shuttle box structure B. At the opposite ,or righthand end of the loomris a magazine M which is in the present instance arranged to supply reserve shuttles of two distinctive kinds.

"As shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the head motion 7 comprises-upper and lower cylinders 2| and 22,

' tain types of heads there is a separator box secmounted on vibrator levers 24.

the preferred form of the invention may be posirespectively, between which lie vibrator gears 23 The latter in tioned by the ordinary "chain indicated at C as V comprising risers or large rolls or'balls 25 and sinkers or small rolls or' balls 25 on which rest the runs 21 of the vibrators. These vibrators vibrator controls the drop boxes to be described. As shown here, a section 28 is added to each main cylinder to actuate the box vibrator and permit adjustments r'elativefto the harnesses. In certion, but in either form there will be a vibrator lever to control the boxes.

' A box lifter rod 36 supports'upper and lower shifting shuttle box cells 3] and 32, respectively. The rearcvibrator gear has a connector 29 (Fig. 9) attached to a boxlever 33 from which extends a lifter chain 34 trained around appro-' 'priate sheaves and connected to the lifter rod 36, see Fig. 1. It is sufficient for the purposes of the. present description to state that the balls on the 7 box chain move the vibrator gears into engagement with one ,or the other of the cylinders to be rotated for the purpose of actuating the lever. 33 to-raise or lower theshuttle boxes. These connections are old, and may be as more fully set forth in Patent No. 837,284, simplified to operate two shi-fting boxes.

A fixed stud 35, see Fig. 3, hassecured thereto a bracket 36 on the horizontal arm of which is pivoted a selector lever 31 having a guide head 38. Front and back selector hooks 39 and 46,

- respectively, pass through the head and are posipath of actuator pin 4|.

tioned one at a time in' thepath'of a downwardly movable actuator pin 4l 'carried by an actuator lever .42 movable about the stud 35. A flexible link-'43- is -attached to the selector lever by an adjustable connection 44 and acts to move the guide head 'rearwardly, or to the right in Fig. 3, 65'

against the action of spring 45. The latter extends; betweena lug 46 on the bracket and the upperpart of lever 31, and tends to move the guide head forwardly to place rear hook 46 in the The guide head is in this way controlled to place either hook operatively with respect to the actuator 1 i The forward arm 41 of lever 42 is adapted for occasional connection with a periodically rocking lever 48 which is driven during loom operation by a cam 49 on the bottom'jshaft 50 of the loom.

the drawings, the loom A lifter latch 5i is pivoted to lever 48, see Fig. 13, and is connected at its lower end to the core 52 of a solenoid 53 carried by the rocking lever 48. A

notched overhang 54 on the forward arm 41 of 5.1 when the solenoid is deenergized, a light tions is rapid and-the latch does'nothave time to move away from the overhang before engaging it. On the down stroke the latch is. free to move back to normal idle position'when pulling away from the overhang. The hooked spring is further described and claimed in my'copending continuation application Serial No. 747,358.

. A two part yielding lifter link 58 (Fig. 3) is suspended from the front of lever 42 and is at tached to the lower end of a box lifter rod 59 When the solenoid The spring holds the latch normally in down position. Upper and lower.

transfer shuttle boxes 66 and 61, respectively, are supported by the upper end'of the rod 59. The boxes are similar in their shuttle changing movements to those shown in Patent N01 1,834,302, and

a in my co-pending application Serial No. 460,746.

The magazine M is arranged to supply reserve shuttles containing two different kinds of 'weft.

A bracket 65 (Fig. 3) projecting laterallyfrom.

the loom frame holds'the magazine by meansof supports 66 extending forwardly from the bracket and attached toinner and outer end plates 7 61 and 68, respectively. A back wall 69, partie tion 'lll, and front wall ll, provide two spaced compartments or guideways for the stacks of reserve shuttles. a 7

The bottom shuttle of the rear stack is supported on a fixed plate 12 immediately in front of a plunger 13 normally in rear position. When hook 39 is depressed, a link 14 connected'thereto will rock lever 15 clockwise to advance the plunger toward the front, or left in Fig. 3. The

bottom rear shuttle is thereupon moved intoa compartment under the front shuttles and falls on arms 16 secured to and extending rearwardly. from the lay. As the latter moves backwardly, the'shuttle falls off the arms l6 and, into the top box 60, which has been raised to receive it. The plunger is thereafter moved back to normal position by spring 11. This mode of transfer and of utilizing the arms 16 is set forth and claimed in my co-pending application Serial No. 560,573.

The bottom shuttle of the front stack rests on a finger 1B pivoted on the front magazine wall and held yieldingly in shuttle supporting posi-.

tion. 'When hook 46 is depressed a link 19 con-- nected to it rocks lever 86 to lift a shorter link 8| attached to the finger I8, removing the latter to permit the lowest front reserveshuttle to fall into the compartment and on the support, arms 15. Transfer to raised box'60'then follow substantially as already described for the rear shuttlesl The superposed front'reserve shuttles are Fig. 3, the pad 82, which is normally held yield-' .to hold the upper shuttles;

ingly forward, is pushed back by spring action 7 At-transfer the cover of' box 60 is raised by rod 59 when the lay moves rearwardly and a lug 86 on the cover engages a fixed cam 8lon the magazine to pivot the cover upwardly so the shuttles can enter the box 60.

The matter thus far described may be substantially as described in the aforesaid applications, and of itself forms no part of my present invention.

In carrying my invention into effect I provide yveft detecting mechanism at the head or drop box end of the loom such'as is shown more particularly in Figs. 1, 2, 4, and 5; Secured t0 and extending upwardly from the lay is a bracket having fastened thereto an electric detector 9I provided with two wire feelers 92 and 93, respectively, which are electrically insulated from each other, preferably by being mounted in a carrier the body of which 94 is formed: of insulating material. In a similar way the lower detector may have similar wires 96 and 91 and is fastened to a depending bracket'98 secured to the lay.

These detectors are so positioned that when the shuttle boxes are down in the position shown in Fig. 4 the feeler wires of the lowerdetector are positioned to detect the condition of'weft in the bottom shuttle S, with the upper detector Wires out of the path of the top shuttle S, which is temporarily active and maybe at the opposite end of the loom as shown in Fig. 1. When the shuttle boxes shift upwardly the lower shuttle becomes active and moves away from the bottom detector, while at the same time the top shuttle is rendered inactive and presents its weft supply to the wires of the upper feeler. ,The detectors are fastened to the lay and are rendered capable of. detecting weft .presence by the shifting of the boxes effected through the box rod 30. The .detectors themselves may be made as shown in Payne Patent No..l,924,19'7.

The feeler wires 93 and 9'! are preferably grounded to a cross bar 99 (Fig. 5) of the loom frame by wire I00. The feeler wires 92 and 96 are electrically connected with conductor wires MI and I02, respectively. As shown in Figs. 5 and 6,.wire I 0I leads to the bottom left electrode 103 of a two-pole switch I04 mounted on a bracket I05 on the loom frame, while wire I02 from the bottom detector isconnected to the top left electrode I06 of the two-pole switch. ,The top and bottom right hand electrodes I01 and I08, respectively, are connected by a wire I09 (Fig. 5) A pole piece I I0 is normally urged .down by alight spring II I (Fig.6) around'a stem II2, and a heavy spring H3 is attached to the stem to raise the pole piece against the upper contacts I05 and I01, overpowering the light spring. An adjustable screw eye. I I4 is connected to spring II3and threaded into a lever -I I5 pivoted to a stud [IE on bracket I05.

Lever H5 is positioned by the vibrator 24,for the boxes through the connections shown in Figs. 5, 6, and '9, wherein there is illustrated one form of mechanism to maintain the indication free from undesirable vibration as the pattern chain presents successive :high'balls under the lever 24. The flexible link 43 (Figs. 3 andfi) is connected to the outer end oflever II5, while there extends downwardly through a part of said lever a Iifting rod II I, the upper end of which is connected to a lever I -I 8 (Figs. 9 and 10) pivoted as-at II.9 to a fixed part-of the loom.

The lever II8 'hasan arm I20 attached to a link I2I connected to the vibrator lever 24. When the vibrator is down, rod I I I drops so that an adjustable lifting collar I22 (Fig. 6) thereon will permit downward movement of the lever I I5. When the vibrator is lifted to the position shown in Fig. l by engaging a high ball, the rod II I lifts the lever II5. When lever H5 is'down, the light spring I! [causes the pole piece to connect electrodes I93 and I08,'but when the lever is up the pole piece is raised by the heavy spring to connect electrodes I06 and I01.

It is desirable that the pole piece maintain its contacts and the lever 31 hold the hooks 39 and 40 without fluttering or unnecessary vibration, so that the circuits and magazine controls may be certain in their action. When employing the usual Knowles head pattern chain I accomplish this result by an additional lever I26 (Fig. 6) pivoted on stud H6 and having astop screw I21 held against a stop lug I28 on lever II 5 by tension spring I29. The lower end of lever I26 coacts with a cylindrical segment I30 secured to a hub I3I fast on the bottom shaft 50 of the loom. The segment I30 is concentric with theshaft and has an inner surface I33 (Fig.6) to position a lug I34 on the lower end of lever I26.

The pattern mechanism is' sotimed .with respect'to the segment that when onehigh ball is passing from under the vibrator lever and another is approaching it, a condition which is likely to result in a slight dipping of the vibrator lever, the surface I33 will move by rotation of the bottom shaft into holding relation with respect to thelug I34. Under these conditions levers H5 and I25 are in the dotted line position shown in Fig. 6, with link 43and spring-I I3 tensioned. Any downward pull on lever II5 will be transmitted through lug I28, screw I 21 and lug I35 to segment I39 and be resisted by the latter to prevent fluttering or shaking of pole piece III] and the selector hooks. The pattern chain is timed so that it moves the vibrator lever upwardly, or permits its descent, during those times when the segment I39 is away from lug I 34.

In Figs. 6 and 7 I show two types of weaves which can be produced by the loom disclosed herein, the first of these in Fig. '7 comprising a four-pick repeat, two picks of which as at I 49 may be of one color while the following two picks shown at I 4| may be of a different color, these two pairs occurring in alternation throughout the fabric. This is the type of weave employed in making crepe and requires that the shuttle boxes shift every second pick of the loom;

When weaving thisso-called 2 and 2 pattern the pattern chain will be built. as shown inFig. 7a and is'composed of two low balls 26 alternated with two high balls 25. The segment I30 is operatively related to lever H5 during the time that control of the vibrator lever is passing from one high ball to another high ball, but it is not operative while the vibrator. control is passing from a low to a high ball, or vice versa. In other words,'segment E39 is operative on alternate beats only, and not on intermediate picks when the vibrator 'is subject to shift by the pattern chain. This alternate pick relation iso-btained by. having the segment on the bottom, or two pick, shaft 50.

My invention is not restricted to' 2 and 2 weaving, however, and I may weave a fabric having wider bands or strip-es. As an example, Fig. 8 shows a 4 and 4 pick weave, where the repeat is eight picks, four weft threads Mil of one color being followed by1four threads I45 of a {difilerent color. Such a pattern would be wovenby the chain assembled as shown inFig. 8a, where a series offour low balls 26 is followed by another vibrator, since this is the point in the chain where a shift of controlfrom high to low or vice versa, would or could occur if the repeat were different.

V In order to prevent fluttering at such a time,

that is, when spaceIS is under the vibrator, I use the form of link shown in Holmes Patent No. 1,953,652 and designated herein at.l50 (Fig. 8a).

. In this way the lever I I5 and pole piece are maintained without objectionable vibration throughout the time that the vibrator is raised by a series ofhigh balls. No serious fiuttering occurs when thevibrator is down, since at such times'the vibrator usually rests on a fixed part M9 (Fig; 9) of the head frame rather than on the low balls; At these times there is no need for moving the lug I34 into operativerelation with the segment nor is there any force'tending to disturb the lever I I5, since springs 45 and I I! both act to lower it,

and spring-H3 is slack, V r

Inasmuch as the active'shuttle is out of contact with its detector during the period. of'its' activity, a bunch R (Fig. 12) 'of reserve weft is provided sufficiently large to permit the active shuttle to weave its block of color. The weft supply of a shuttle returning to action may become depleted, except for the bunch, during the first part of the first flight of the series of picks during which the shuttle isto remain active, and theweft for the remainder of the stripe must be drawn from the bunch. The wider the stripe the larger'the bunch and in practice I believe it will be sufiicient if the bunch is large enough to provide, for a number of shuttle fiights equal to the jnumber of picks in a stripe plus three and onehalf or four extra picks; 1 V

The stripes neednot all contain the same number of picks, and should one stripe be narrower than the other the shuttles will carry reserve bunches corresponding to the widths of the stripes which they weave. The weft detectors are positioned to contact with metallic ferrulesF on the weftfcarriers which lie'to one side of the bunches as shown in Fig, 12.

,In describing the operation'of the loom it may be assumed that the boxes are down'with the inactiveboxed shuttle depleted, having just moved to that position so that th-e upper shuttle has been rendered active, and that the pattern being iwoven is that shown in Fig. 7. The Knowles head is usually so operated that the box vibrator will be up whenthe boxes are raised and will be 1 down when they are lowered. The positions assumed therefore correspond to those shown in Figs; 4, 5,.and 6 and 9.

Referring to Fig. 9, 7 here the pattern chain is indicated'as'movingin a counter-clockwise direction, the first of the pair of low balls 26 has 7 moved under thevibrator lever and the latter has therefore dropped. 'By the previously described parts, the drop boxes and lever II5 are down and the pole pieceIID is in contacting relation with electrodes I03 and I08. By referring to Fig- 5 it will be seen that electrode I03 is connected by wire IOI to the upper feeler and that theelectrode I06 which corresponds to the lower feeler is temporarily disconnected from magazine.

dition will exist so long as the pattern chain f does not alter the position of the vibrator lever, that is, no current flowsthrough the prongs of the lower detector when they first strike the bare ferrule, nor for a period of time thereafter. 7 When the time arrives for a shift of the boxes, however, a high ball will-appear under the 'vibrator and. raise the latter to a position such as that indicated in Fig. 1. This results in an upward movement of lever H8 and link II1 the effect of which is to raise lever II5, thereby lift- 7 ing the pole piece I I0 so that the latter will electrically connect the electrodes I06 and 101.. 'It is to be understood that the raising of the vibrator lever and pole piece take place in preparation of the box shift and therefore at a time when the bottom feeler is still in contact with the bare ferrule. The following circuit is therefore closed: Current will flow from one side of the transformer I62 (Fig. 5), through wire I63, to a ground on the cross bar 99, up from the latter over wire I00 to prong 91, through the ferrule F to the other prong 96, thence'by'a wire I02 to electrode I06,'through' the pole piece IIO to electrode I01, through wires' I09 and I 55 to the'solenoid 53, wire I56, switch I51, wire-159, fuse I60 and wire I6I back to; the transformer I62. 'Current flowing in this circuit will cause the solenoid 53 (Fig. 13') to attract its core 52 sothat thelatch 5|" will'be'rocked to a position 1 under the overhang 54 and the hook 56 will have temporary holding relation'therewith. The immediately subsequent upward movemovement of lever 48 will resultin lifting of the forward end of lever 42 to move'the boxes at' the magaizne end of the loom from low to high position preparatory to shuttle change and will also result in depression of actuator 41, causing the latter to cooperate with hook .39 'and advance a shuttle from the rear stack in the the vibrator lever moves to its high position, the lock 'knife L, Fig.9, -moves to locking position and the vibrator gear starts its rotation all before the drop boxes move; When the boxes start to rise, the wire prongs of the lower detector:

will follow the bottom shuttleup a fraction of an inch, and there is therefore enough timefor the solenoid to be energized and to attract "its core. The latch 5| is caught under-the overhang -'before the spring hook 56 is disengaged from it and the movement of levers Hand 48 to effect a shuttle change operation is not interfered with by the breaking of the previously traced. circuit when the bottom shuttle moves away from the wires of the bottom feeler.

only'when the loom ing which the pole piece remains'in'raised for lowered position will be longer, depending upon the number of picks in the weft stripes; Whatever the length of a repeat,-the,circuit-through a ferrule of an'empty shuttle'will not be completed until just before the empty inactive shuttle is to be returned to active position, The bunch Switch I51 (Fig. 5) is controlled by the shipper mechanism I58 ofthe The head motion is so timed that of reserve weft is so placed as not to interfere with the action of the feelers.

It will be understood that should depletion ocour in the upper shuttle when the top box is raised a circuit similar to that already traced would be closed. In that instance current would flow as already traced to wire I63, thence by wire I00, prong 93, upper ferrule F, prong 92, wire IOI, electrode'lil i, pole piece II E3, electrode I88 to wire I55, after which current would flow through that part of the previously traced circuit beyond wire I55. It is obvious that switch I 5'! will break the control circuit Whenever the loom is stopped by throwing off the shipper handle so that even if the loom should come to rest with a feeler in contact with a ferrule and 2. vibrator moved to a position to close what would otherwise be a circuit, yet no current would flow.

When the loom is equipped with a dobby the boxes are operated from one of the jacks and there arises only a negligible amount of vibration due to movement of the pattern surface. Under such conditions, the jack J shown in Fig. 14 is connected to the link II I, and lever I26 and cam I32 can be omitted without danger of fluttering at the pole piece or the color selectors I From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a simple form of weft detecting mechanism for multicolor shuttle changing loom wherein electric detectors are secured to the lay and are rendered operative solely by the shifting of the drop boxes, and wherein the use of this kind of detector is not restricted to a 2 and 2 weave but can be used where the stripes of weft consist of a larger number of picks of filling. This result is accomplished by controlling the circuit at two points, one at the detector, and the other at the two-pole switch which is moved by the pattern mechanism. By limiting the time during which the control circuit can be closed to a brief interval just before the empty shuttle becomes active, I avoid likelihood of burning the ferrules F or the feeler prongs by sparking. It will further be seen that no special delay motion is needed, since the pattern mechanism which must be employed to control the boxes is present and lends itself easily to such delaying of the indication as is necessary. The actual time during which the indication must be retained, that is, between the time that the solenoid is actuated and the start of the upward movement of lever 42 is very short. Also, it will be seen that means are provided to permit the indication of the magazine and the control of its circuits in conjunction with a Knowles head motion in such a way as to avoid any fluttering of the pole piece IIEI. When using a pattern chain having a repeat of more than two successive high balls the links I50 (Fig. 8a) or their equivalents may be used.

The devices for preventing the vibration of the loom-controlling electric switch I5 3 are not claimed herein but form the subject matter of a divisional application Serial No. 10428, filed by me on March 11, 1935.

Having thus described my invention it will be seen that changes and modifications may be made therein by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the claims and I do not wish to be otherwise limited to the details herein disclosed, but what I claim is:

1. In a weft replenishing loom having a lay, shifting shuttle boxes on one end of the lay to cooperate with a plurality of weaving shuttles and move each shuttle toactive and inactive 'positions, an electric feeler secured to the lay over theboxes to detect into an inactive raised shuttle and a second electric feeler secured to the lay under the boxes to detect into an inactive lowered shuttle, a pattern mechanism to determine the sequence of movements of the shifting boxes, and an electro-magnetic device to control the operation of the loom dependent jointly for its energization upon indication of Weft exhaustion by an inactive shuttle through its feeler and the pattern mechanism.

2. In a weft replenishing loom having a lay, shifting shuttle boxes on one end of the lay to cooperate with a plurality of weaving shuttles and move each shuttle to active and inactive positions, an electric feeler secured to the lay over the boxes to detect into an inactive raised shuttle and a second electric feeler secured to the lay underthe boxes to detect into an inactive lowered shuttle, a pattern mechanism'efiective to determine the sequence of movements of said shifting boxes, electric wiring for eachfeeler, an electromagnetic device to'control the operation ofthe loom, a switch capable of connecting the electric wiring of either feeler with the electro-magnetic device, and connections between the switch and the pattern mechanism to throw the switch so that an inactive depleted shuttle will be in circuit with the electro-magnetic device just before said inactive shuttle returns to action.

3. In a weft replenishing loom having a lay, shifting shuttle boxes on one end of the lay to cooperate with .a plurality of weaving shuttles and move each shuttle to active and inactive positions, an electric feeler secured to the lay over the boxes to detect into an inactive raised shuttle and a second electric feeler secured to the lay under the boxes to detect into an inactive lowered shuttle, an electro-magnetic device capable when energized of producing a change in loom operation, a pattern mechanism to determine the sequence of the box movements and efiective to render an inactive shuttle active, and a switch controlled by the pattern mechanism effective to establish connection between the electro-magnetic device and the feeler of a depleted shuttle about to move from inactive to active position. 4. In a weft replenishing loom having a lay, shifting shuttle boxes on one end of the lay to cooperate with a plurality of weaving shuttles and move each shuttle to active and inactive positions, an electric feeler secured to the lay over the boxes to detect into an inactive raised shuttle and a second electric feeler secured to the lay under the boxes to detect into an inactive 10wered shuttle, said feelers being rendered opera tive by the box movements to detect into the inactive shuttle only, an electro-magnetic device to bring about a change in loom operation, a pattern mechanism to effect a shift of the boxes to render an inactive shuttle active, and a switch controlled by the pattern mechanism to connect the electro-magnetiode'vice to' the feeler of a depleted shuttle about to move from inactive to active position, said switch prior to the time the pattern mechanism initiates return of an inactive shuttle to active position being effective to maintain the electro-magnetic device disconnected from the feeler'of the inactive shuttle.

5. In a weft replenishing loom havinga lay, shifting shuttle boxes on one end of the lay to cooperate with a plurality of weaving shuttles and move each shuttle to active and inactive positions, an electric feeler secured to the lay over the boxes to detect into an inactive raised shuttleand a second electric feeler' secured to the lay under'the boxes to detect into an inactive lowered shuttle, said feelers being renderedoperative by the box movements to detect into the inactive shuttle only, an electro-magnetic device to bring about a change in loom operation, a pattern mechanism to effect a shift of the boxes torender an inactive shuttle active, and a switch controlled by-the pattern mechanism to connect the electro-magnetic device to the feeler of a 6. In a weft replenishing depleted shuttle about to move from inactive to active position, said switch prior to the time the pattern mechanism initiatesreturn of an inactive shuttle to active position being effective to maintain the electro-magnetic device disconneeted from the feeler of the'inactive shuttle, a and the feeler corresponding to the active shuttle being out'of contact with the active shuttle so long as the latter is active. a t a looml having a lay,

; a'pair of shifting shuttle boxes on one end of the lay cooperating with two shuttles to move each 1 lower inactive to-move an inactive shuttle to active'position, the

switch being controlled by the pattern mechanismto connect the electromagn etic device to the feeler of the inactive shuttle for a short time 'only immediately preceding return of the inactive shuttle to active position.

"7. In a loom, a lay, a pair of shifting shuttle boxes on one end of the lay to coact with two weaving shuttles either of which may be rendered active or inactive depending upon the position of the shuttle boxes, 1a feeler' secured to the lay above the boxes to detect into the shuttle of the upper box when the latter is inactive and a second feeler secured to: the lay to detect into the shuttle in the lower box when the latter is inactive, an ele'ctro-magnetic device to bring about a change in loom operation; a pattern mechanism to determine the times of shifting the boxes, a switch controlled by the pattern mechanism, and a'pair'of circuits one to be closed by the upper feeler at weft exhaustion in the upper inactive shuttle and the other to beclosed by the lower feeler when indicating weft exhaustion in the shuttle,both circuits being adapted to'includethe electro-magnetic device, and a switch movable by the pattern mechanism to connect the electro-magnetic device into the circuit corresponding to the feelerindicating weft exhaustion in an inactive shuttle which is about to return to active position.

8. In a loom having a lay with shifting shuttle boxes, an electric circuit for each shuttle box, weft detector mechanismj independent of the shuttles fixed to the lay to engage supplies of iweft intheshuttles and effective to close the circuit corresponding to a depleted inactive shuttle, the detector mechanism being in detecting relation with but one shuttle box at a time, pattern mechanism eifective to cause a shifting of the shuttle boxes, the position of the boxes determining which circuit is capable of being closed; and a switch controlled by the pattern mechanism to control both circuits, said switch rendering but one; circuit closeable at a time,'namely, the-one corre sponding to an inactive shuttle and at a'time when the inactive shuttle is about to be called into active position by the pattern mechanism.

9. In a weft replenishing loom having 'a lay,

shifting shuttle boxes on one end of the layto cooperate with a plurality of weft shuttles and to move each shuttle to active and inactive posi-- tions, a feeler secured to the lay over the boxes .to detect into an inactive raised shuttle, and a second feeler secured to the lay under the boxe s to detect into an inactive lower shuttle, an 'electric circuit controlled in part by said feelers, a pattern mechanism to determine the sequence of movements of the shifting boxes, and an electromagnetic device in said circuit effective to initiate weft replenishment and depending jointly for its energization upon indication of weft exhaustion by an inactive shuttle through its feeler. 25

and upon said pattern mechanism.

10. In a weft replenishing loom having a lay, shifting, shuttle boxes on one end of the lay to cooperate with a plurality of weft shuttles and to ,move each shuttle to active and inactive positions, a feeler secured to the lay over the boxes to detect into an inactive raised shuttle, and a second feeler secured to the lay'under the boxes to, detect into an inactive lower shuttle, an electric circuit controlled in part by said feelers, a pat tern mechanism to determine the sequence of movements of the shifting boxes, an electro-magnetic device ins'aid circuit effective to initiate weft replenishment, a switch capable of placing said electro-magnetic device under the control of either feeler, and connections between said switch and said pattern mechanism efiective to set the switch so that an 'inactive depleted shuttle will said inactive shuttle returns to action.

11. In a weft replenishing loom having a'lay, shifting shuttle boxes on one end of thelay to cooperate with a plurality of weft shuttles and to move each shuttle to active and inactive positions, a feeler secured to the layover the boxes to detect into an inactive raised shuttle, and a second'feeler secured to the lay under the boxes to detect into an inactive lower shuttle, an electric, circuit controlled in part by said feelers, a pattern mechanism to determine the sequence of movementsof the shifting boxes, an electromagnetic device in said circuit effective'to initiate Weft replenishment, a switch capable of placing ,said electromagnetic device under the control of either feeler, and connections between said switch and said pattern mechanism effective to set the switch so that an inactive depleted shuttle Will control said electro-magnetic device just before said inactive shuttle returns to action, said switch prior to the time the pattern'mech'anism initiates return of an inactive shuttle to active position being efiective to maintain the electro-magnetic device out of control of the feeler of the inactive shuttle, and the feeler corresponding to the active shuttle being out of contact with said active shuttle as long as the latter remains active.

RICHARD G. TURNER.

control said electro-magnetic device just before I 

